


Bring Me Home

by ofmoominsandmumriks



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Also do not worry. There is NO Joxkin in this fic, And boy are them moomins FLUFFY, Gen, I just gave my characters lots of things. I think it fleshes them out a lot, M/M, Mymbles have tails too, Snufkin also has large fuzzy ears, Snusmumriken | Snufkin Has a Tail, and especially w/ the current mv canon, anyone who ships them please don't interact with me or my works ok thanks, hoo boy future sparky speaking, i appreciate your kind words of encouragement a lot, im really not proud of the way i wrote this fic, im sorry but im probably gonna abandon this for now at least, its hard to motivate myself to proceed, its kinda unlikely but i might do a complete rewrite, love u all <3 /p, plus i just like it hehe, sorry guys :(, thank u to all of u who've supported the fic this far though!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22837129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofmoominsandmumriks/pseuds/ofmoominsandmumriks
Summary: A single paper that flips the entire world upside down. A confrontation. A reunion. A journey. The return of loved ones lost. Putting trust in love.No one was prepared for it. Everything was peaceful, and then everything was so much.Mymble's visit to Moominvalley takes an unplanned turn when she finds her long-lost son, who had disappeared many years ago, had been there by her side the whole time. And he's determined to find what his past had been missing.(This story may be edited to fit into the timeline of the animated series Moominvalley (2019 - current). It is important to know that the main storyline takes place after the known events of the series. However, it should still be considered an alternate universe.)
Relationships: Joxaren | The Joxter & Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Comments: 12
Kudos: 74





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Talk of adoption, missing children. The latter will be a running theme throughout the fic. (If you ever need me to mention anything else up here, please let me know!)

When you’re one of 36 siblings in the same house, trying to find a good place to sleep can be near impossible.

Little My figured she’d had learned to deal with it by now, but after a good few years living with the Moomin family, she’d gotten too used to the luxury that is personal space. She even had her own bed to sleep in, not to mention a personal room in which she had only one roommate. Of course, she was the one who (reluctantly) agreed to Mymble’s invite for her to stay the night, but in her defense, it had been so long since she’d last seen her family. It would’ve been rude of her to turn it down, when her mother may not get the chance to have her around like this again in a long time.

Perhaps she was only being rude to herself by agreeing, she thought with a huff as she dug around for a spot that wasn’t occupied. Unfortunately, it seemed nearly every nook and cranny she could think of was taken up. Mymble’s armchair? Taken. The towel basket in the washroom? Taken. And there was no way she was sleeping in the leak bucket. She was the one who helped to build this house and even she couldn’t find herself a good place to hit the hay. Silence drowned the space around, broken only by a symphony of snoring children. Her footsteps lightened as not to risk waking even one person. She’d made that mistake before; and she’d learned that when one of Mymble’s pack cries, the rest follow suit. She’d rather be able to get some sleep tonight.

My squinted around the room, spotting a sliver of silvery light on the wall. She staggered over, nearly tripping on her own tail, and peered through the crack. Blue moonlight shone through a window high up, and in the center of the back wall, a large figure lay asleep on an even greater mattress. Seems as though Mother had claimed this room for herself. Quietly, she creaked the door open enough to tiptoe inside and have a better look. Surely the Mymble wouldn’t mind if Little My took shelter in her closet?

The latch wasn’t extremely difficult to reach if she jumped high enough, and My sighed in relief when she found no one else was inside. Now, her challenge was getting comfortable. Mymble sure did like to keep a lot of things in this cramped space, she noticed. It was thoroughly cluttered with boxes and knick-knacks. Perhaps if she was lucky, she’d find a blanket inside. She peeked inside one of the boxes out of curiosity. No blankets, to her dismay- but there was something else that piqued her interest.

A paper was inside; a birth certificate at that. Cracking the door open for light, My took the paper to inspect it. She blew dust away, making herself sneeze in the process, and examined the sheet.

But there was something odd about it. The name in the center wasn’t one she recognized, out of any of her siblings. What was someone else’s birth certificate doing hidden away in Mymble’s closet then, if not one of her children?

The birth date on it wasn’t recent- younger than all of her siblings and herself, yes, but still around 18 years ago. Little My was a toddler back then. Surely if Mymble had another child, My would at least know about them? What happened to them?

_What kind of name is Snusmumriken, anyway?_

She glanced back down, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Snusmumriken— ‘mumrik’? Mumriks were a different species than Mymbles, at least to her knowledge—they were similar, but different species. Of course, she only knew one personally, so unless she asked him, she had little useful information regarding the matter. He never really brought up his origins either.

However, now that she considered it, she didn’t know much about Snufkin’s early life at all. When asked, he was always vague with his responses. ‘I don’t remember much’, he’d usually say. He never brought it up to anyone, either.

And his name did bear some similarities to the one on the paper…

No. It couldn’t be, she told herself.

Then again, she didn’t have much evidence so far to prove her suspicions wrong; he could have changed his name. Perhaps he was adopted. Perhaps Mumriks were a hybrid species involving Mymbles- it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence.

 _I’ll bring it up with Mother tomorrow,_ Little My decided, folding up the paper and sticking it in her dress pocket. She climbed on top of another box, letting her eyes fall shut. She was far too tired to think rationally of it, and it would be much more productive to figure it out with Snufkin when she saw him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO it's finally here! i'm so very happy that this fic is finally out!
> 
> well, at least the prologue. as i stated in the tags, i'm updating as i write. but i'm very excited to share it with you all!
> 
> any reviews are tremendously appreciated! i'm open to constructive criticism as well, all feedback is absolutely welcome!
> 
> and so, our journey begins


	2. The World Comes Together, The World Falls Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Food, mention of potential death, slight hinting at a sexual relationship but nothing even close to explicit.

“There you go, Snufkin.” Moominmamma set a plate down in front of where he was sitting, prompting a nod of gratitude. He’d decided to join the family for lunch, at Moomintroll’s offer, and it wasn’t often he’d pass up the opportunity to have some of Moominmamma’s cooking when invited. He spread some jam on his bread and took a bite, content washing over him. “This is very good,” he remarked after a moment, a warm smile on his face.

“Indeed, Moominmamma,” Moominpappa chimed in. “Why didn’t we invite the Mymble over today?”

Moominmamma took her seat next to him. “Well, dear, we had dinner with her yesterday. I’m sure she’d want to see her other friends as well while she’s here in Moominvalley.”

Moomintroll glanced at the seat at the end of the table. “Speaking of Mymbles, has anyone seen Little My?”

Wiping his face with his sleeve, Snufkin turned. Little My was indeed absent. She usually showed up on time for lunch, at least by now, so her unannounced tardiness was a bit odd.

Spreading jam onto her own bread, Moominmamma looked at the space thoughtfully. “Perhaps she’s still with Mymble. After all, it has been over a year since her last visit. Though I do hope she comes back before her soup gets cold,” she added with a slight tone of worry in her voice.

“I’m here.” My’s voice came from behind, nearly making Snufkin jump. Startled, he whipped around— _hadn’t she been completely out of sight just a moment ago???_ —and sighed in relief, seeing her walking up to her chair. She plopped down and immediately got to work eating.

“And just in time.” Moominmamma handed her the jam. Little My took it wordlessly, spreading it on her bread messily before taking a large bite. Not unusual for the little one; anyone who’s known her would know that no food stands a chance when she’s near.

“Who are her other friends, anyways?”

“Perhaps you should ask her yourself.”

“It really has been a long time since she has come over, hasn’t it?”

“A year and just over a quarter.”

“Where do you think she’s been all that time?”

Snufkin idly listened into their small talk as he began on his soup, maybe joining in once or twice. Even so, Little My somehow seemed to finish before him—despite arriving later than anyone else. She hopped off her chair after a moment, and was gone.

His own dishes were soon cleaned, but as he got up, he noticed his napkin had a note written on it. _“Meet me at the bridge, I need to talk to you - My”_

Snufkin tilted his head. He left the napkin on the table, and waved everyone else goodbye. “Thank you again for lunch.”

He quickly trotted along the path, spotting Little My sitting on the bridge. Her legs were crossed and pulled inward, and her seemingly anxious gaze was fixated on him in wait. He made a note to quicken his pace.

“Hello, Little My.” He sat down next to her. “Is everything alright? What was it you wanted to discuss?”

She wordlessly pulled a paper out from her dress pocket, unfolding it. “This.” She handed it to him. A birth certificate, for someone by the name “Snusmumriken”. A name that he was sure he’d never heard before, and yet felt…. familiar. It sounded vaguely like his own.

“Is this one of your siblings?” He asked puzzledly.

She shook her head, handing the paper to him. “That name doesn’t belong to any one of them. In fact, I’ve never heard the name before in my life. And yet I found it in Mother’s closet.”

“How strange,” Snufkin muttered, inspecting the paper more closely. The date was not recent at all- 18 years, to be precise. “Why are you coming to me with this?” He blinked at the paper before looking back up.

My shook her head again. “I’ll tell you in a moment.” Snufkin hesitantly gave the paper back to her, his large ears pointed towards her attentively.

“When I confronted her, Mother said that this was her youngest. And that he disappeared at only a few years old, and was never found. That it was nearly impossible he’s still alive. I hate to have upset her, but I have some suspicions.” Little My tapped on the name, taking out a pencil from her dress pocket as well. She circled the word Mumrik in the middle of the name. “ _This_ is why I’m asking you. You’re a Mumrik-- I figured you might know something about it.”

Snufkin narrowed at the letters in confusion. “How strange. I never looked into it all that much, but I always assumed Mumriks came only from other Mumriks.” Little My’s shoulders slumped slightly in....disappointment? He took the certificate back, staring down at it. “I never considered the possibility of us being a- a hybrid species?” His eyes widened. He’d hadn’t even studied any information on his species whatsoever.

“That’s what I’ve been thinking,” Little My acknowledged with a nod. “If only there was a way to know for sure…” Her lips pursed in thought.

“We could go see if Moominpappa has anything in his study that could help,” suggested Snufkin. He’d seen how many books he has- there must be one with useful information in there.

Little My perked up, nodding eagerly. “Then what are we waiting for?” She stood up, prompting Snufkin to do the same. Little My began running ahead, and Snufkin quickly followed.

***

Moominpappa was reading on the couch when they arrived. “Ah, Little My and Snufkin. How are things?” He glanced up at them with a friendly smile, pushing his hat up.

“Curious, to say the least,” Snufkin responded calmly. “Any chance you have any books with information on species in your archives?” He twiddled his thumbs behind his back in anticipation.

Moominpappa thought for a moment. “I suppose I may have some encyclopedias and such that could be useful. Why don’t you have a look?”

Little My grinned, and nodded. “Thanks ‘pappa!” She waved Snufkin along and they ventured upstairs, pushing the door to the study room. Moominpappa’s bookshelves stood like towers, filled with nearly countless volumes (especially Moominpappa’s own writings). They got to work searching the titles, and eventually My pulled out _“Species: Everything you Need to Know About All Walks of Life”_.

She tapped Snufkin’s shoulder, and he quickly took the encyclopedia, mouthing his gratitude as he set it on the floor. It wasn’t long before he reached the Mumrik page, and his eyes scanned over the paragraphs, hoping to find something useful.

“There!” Little My exclaimed, pointing to the caption under the pictures. _“The Mumrik is a hybrid species…”_ it read.

Snufkin glanced back at the picture. A sketched depiction of a creature not at all unlike himself.

Had he really never put any research into what he was? It never piqued his curiosity before. He just was a Mumrik, and that was that, and he never gave it any more thought. Now, however, he was more intrigued than he’d ever been.

“Snufkin?” Little My’s voice broke his ruminating. He glanced up at her hastily. “Sorry, what was that?” he asked, eyes darting between her and the book. Little My swallowed and pointed back down at the same line. “You may want to see this.”

He fixated on where she was pointing and read aloud. “The Mumrik is a hybrid species, a cross between a Joxter and…and a Mymble.” His voice faltered, as he slowly turned back to face Little My. Realization hit like lightning. Snufkin’s shoulders slumped as he read the line, over and over. They both knew what the other was thinking without needing to say it.

If their suspicions were true—

“Snufkin,” she hesitantly began, still staring down at the large book. “Do you….do you remember anything about your childhood?” She sat back down on her knees, holding her breath. Her eyes didn’t meet his.

Snufkin stared into the palms of his hands, shaking his head slowly. He tried to mouth words, but he couldn’t find any.

He didn’t remember anything. He’d never cared to. All he cared for was the present, and a bit for the future. Now his past was crashing into him, all at once, like a violent gust of wind interrupting a calm breeze.

He stood up silently, staring down at the book. He had to know if it was true or not. He had to.

Little My’s calls for him fell on deaf ears. Snufkin hurriedly stumbled out the door, down the stairs. Moominpappa was still reading on the couch; he peered up from his book upon hearing the commotion.

Snufkin cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. “Moominpappa?” He sat down on the couch next to him. “You knew the Mymble when you both were very much younger, didn’t you?”

Moominpappa smiled fondly at being asked about his past life, moving his bookmark and setting his novel down. “I did. Why do you ask, Snufkin?”

“Well,” he uttered, taking off his hat and hugging it in his lap. “Did she ever have a child? That disappeared, that is?” He felt reluctant asking, as though it were a very sensitive topic.

Moominpappa stroked the bottom of his snout in deep thought. “Yes, I do remember that,” he started. “Around 18 years ago. He went missing at around 3 years old, I believe.” He sighed and shook his head. “Mymble was devastated.” A solemn pause before he went on.

“I did find something interesting, though. A few months before she gave birth, my friend, the Joxter, left to adventure on his own.” The Joxter. Of course. The child was a Mumrik, like he and My had thought. “They did seem to be a bit closer than letting on, and I always had my suspicions—”

“Wait!” Snufkin’s face flushed in embarrassment. “Er, pardon my interruption, but- out of curiosity, what did this child look like, if you remember so?” He just needed that last bit of conformation before he could be certain. His ears twitched with anticipation.

Closing his eyes, Moominpappa seemed to be trying hard to remember. “Well, for one thing, he was much larger than his siblings. At just a toddler, he was as big as Little My is right now!” He let out a chuckle. “His hair was ginger, just like his mother’s. Maybe a bit darker. He had large, fuzzy ears like the Joxter’s, except his were red. His tail, too, was red, with a puffy tail tip. And his face…”

He turned back to Snufkin, narrowing his eyes as he studied him. “Actually, you do bear a fair resemblance to him, now that I think about it. Much older, of course.”

Snufkin glanced down at his tail. Red. With a fluffed-out tip.

His breath hitched.

“Thank- thank you, Moominpappa,” he stammered quickly, putting his hat back on his head. He stood up and trotted towards the door. “You’ve given me quite a bit of thinking to do.” He managed a polite smile, but his tail would not stop twitching no matter how hard he tried.

The door shut with a loud slam.

Moominpappa stared at the door after him. “Well, that was odd,” he mumbled to himself, but simply picked up his book and flipped to where he left off.

***

Summer was just drawing to an end, and in Moomintroll’s opinion, the weather was most wonderful around this time of year. When the leaves were just beginning to change color, leaving a patchwork of red, yellow, and green in the trees. When the temperatures were warm but not too hot. The skies had a glow to them like honey in the sunlight. Naturally, he was out for a walk to enjoy it while he could.

He was following the riverside path, humming a tune, collecting pinecones, acorns, and wildflowers on his way in a basket. It was one of his favorite traditions. They made the atmosphere in his room feel so much nicer. He stood after putting a couple large pinecones in his collection, glancing back up to scan the path ahead for more items.

In the distance towards the sea, he caught a glimpse of green and auburn, atop a large stone on the riverbed. _Snufkin?_ Moomin’s eyes lit up. He carefully picked up his basket and approached the rock, quickly but not running so as not to be startling.

Snufkin was indeed sitting there, staring into the ocean beyond. If only Moomintroll could read minds, so he could know what had the Mumrik boy caught in his thoughts. He’d put his hat beside him, letting the breeze ruffle his hair, and his tail was curled around himself.

A full minute passed before Moomin realized he was staring. Oh dear. Not now. Shaking his head in an attempt to snap himself out of it, he regained his focus. “Snufkin?” He asked, softening his tone in fear of scaring him. Nevertheless, Snufkin did tense up slightly before turning around, but sighed in relief upon seeing Moomintroll.

“Hullo, Moomin.” Something was off about his voice. It didn’t have its usual cheery undertone, although he was smiling. His mute gaze trailed towards the river, observing the way the water flowed around isolated stones. Moomin felt his heart sink with concern. Snufkin was, of course, a very thoughtful person by nature— yet his demeanor gave away that it wasn’t just everyday contemplations running through his mind.

“Er, do you mind if I…?” Moomin patted on the rock to emphasize what he was trying to ask. Snufkin was quiet for a moment, but he gave a small smile and moved to make room on the boulder. Moomintroll gladly sat down next to him.

He studied Snufkin for a moment. “Is anything the matter?”

Snufkin’s shoulders hunched a bit. “I’m-” His voice faltered, gaze shifting to and from Moomin’s eyes. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“Would you like to talk about it?”

Biting his lip in hesitation, Snufkin slowly nodded, eyes fixed on the waters below.

“Little My found out that Mymble has had another child, who went missing. I believe this child…may have been me.” He trailed off, finally turning to make eye contact with Moomintroll, his wide eyes clouded with emotion.

Moomintroll was equally stunned. Mymble having another child, that was no surprise- but for them to be Snufkin?

"Go on.”

Snufkin explained everything. From the resemblance in names, to hybrid Mumriks, to Moominpappa’s descriptions. Moomintroll listened closely to all of it.

“I don’t know what to make of it all.” Snufkin’s eyes fluttered shut momentarily.

“Wouldn’t that make you and Little My siblings? Or half-siblings at least?”

Snufkin and Little My? Siblings? Moomintroll’s favorite person and his troublesome family friend? He didn’t know whether to be shocked, confused, or both.

Snufkin nodded once again. “I think she knows that too. Funny, isn’t it?” He gave a half-genuine chuckle. “Who would have thought…”

Moomintroll glanced back down at the waters. “This sure is a lot to take in. I can only imagine what it must be like on your part.”

Snufkin smiled weakly. “It is.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Overwhelming is an understatement.” Another laugh, but this one was more forced. “I never knew anything about my past. I can’t remember anything before 5 years old, and during that time I was always alone. I never even cared to think who my parents were, but now? Learning they’d been right in front of me the whole time?” He shook his head, closing his eyes once again. “At least, one of them.”

Moomintroll’s heart ached for him. He couldn’t possibly know how much this was weighing on Snufkin. He’d known who his family was—what his past was like—all his life. His father was dedicated to documenting the past, in fact. If he were in Snufkin’s place? Moomin didn’t know if he would even be able to process it.

Moomin inched closer to Snufkin, his gentle gaze searching over him concernedly.

“What are you going to do now?”

His question was met with nothing more than a shrug. “I’m gon’ have to…”

Snufkin’s eyes opened wide again, and he sat up. “I’m going to have to tell Mymble.” His voice was barely above a murmur, yet the way he stared up at Moomintroll spoke volumes. Moomin firmly nodded, suddenly stricken with understanding. After all, it may be Snufkin's own mother he’d be speaking to—but to let her know that she _is_ his mother. That was going to be a steep mountain to climb.

“How about this?” The moment’s silence was broken by Moomintroll after some deliberation, prompting Snufkin to sit up slightly. “I can help you break the news to her. I can do it for you if you want, in fact. If you feel too nervous about doing it yourself, that is.” Moomin ran his hand through the fur on the back of his neck.

Snufkin blinked several times. “I-” He picked up his hat, brushing the feathers on it with his finger, seemingly lost within his own thoughts again.

“I don’t want to make you do that. This is something I need to do.” The phrase was mumbled out. Almost as if only his mind was speaking. “I’m just not quite sure how I’m going to do it.”

Moomintroll was going to protest, but he bit back his tongue. Snufkin was probably right. It wouldn’t be fair to him, or Mymble for that matter, if Moomin completely stepped in. This would be a very important moment to him.

“Then maybe, I could step in at the hard parts? Or just stay with you while you do it, so you feel more at ease?”

Snufkin was, once again, silent. His eyebrows were furrowed in deliberation. “Moomin…” he hummed out, before sighing softly. This time, when he smiled, it was still faint, but not at all forced.

“Thank you. I’d like that.”

Moomintroll beamed in return. Seeing Snufkin appear more at ease sent a wave of contentment through him. If he could help Snufkin feel more secure, Moomin would take any chance he could get. That was a promise, he firmly decided.

“When are you planning to do it?”

Snufkin set his hat back on his head. “I think I’ll need to sleep on it.” He shot a tired grin at Moomin. His eyes concurred wholeheartedly. Moomintroll gave an understanding nod and climbed off the rock, Snufkin following.

“You’ve been out collecting, I see?” Snufkin gestured to the basket on the ground. A proud shine in his eyes, Moomin picked it up and held it out to show it off, running a paw over one of the pinecones. “Yep! I’m planning to make potpourri when I get back home.”

The crimson glow of the setting sun made its notice before either of them could say more. “Speaking of which….” he chuckled out, glancing down at the ground.

Snufkin nodded wistfully, tipping his hat. “Goodnight Moomin.”

Moomintroll waved in response, and started back in the direction he’d come-

“Wait!”

He turned to see Snufkin walking up to him quickly.

“Tomorrow, I-“ he fidgeted with the strings of his scarf, biting his lip. “May I join you for breakfast?”

Moomin beamed and nodded eagerly. “Of course! I’ll go let Moominmamma know!” He waved quickly at Snufkin, before skipping along, letting the dirt trail lead him home.

***

Tomorrow. The word echoed. Each time a leaf fell. Each dewdrop falling off a branch. It all rang with the sound.

What was Snufkin about to say? That he would confront this, tomorrow? Was it too late? Too soon?

Tomorrow, he’d make a decision. That’s what it should mean. That’s what Snufkin would take it to mean.

He just needed to wait until tomorrow.

As he stared into the space that Moomintroll had left behind, Snufkin took a shaky breath to quiet his thoughts, and the dying light over the trees pulled him homeward.


	3. -Flashback-

“Don’t go too far, S-“

_“Little My, I told you to stop pouring dirt into your sister’s bedsheets!”_

The young Mumrik boy turned his head to glance behind. The large figure of his mother had disappeared from sight.

It was a lovely spring day. The forest was flourishing with the sounds of returning flocks, the smells of wet grass. Sun shone on the leaves, speaking of hidden wonders beyond.

How was a curious toddler to leave it behind?

Not finding anyone was around to watch him, he began pushing his way through the trees, until he reached a clearing where he could take it all in.

Standing before him was a wonderland like he’d never seen before.

His house had very little space, especially at nights when all of his siblings were crowded inside. It was dull and uncomfortable.

But _this?_

The child continued in further, drawn in by all the fantasy unfolding around him. Fruits hung low from a little tree, just barely within his reach. They were rich with flavor, he observed. And the wildflowers, just beginning to bloom, grew all around, speckling the forest with color.

He wouldn’t hear the calls of his mother, long gone behind him.

It was only when the sky turned shades of sunset orange when he realized that he may have gone deeper than he’d anticipated, and that he didn’t remember which direction he came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yep! this is a thing we're going to be doing here!
> 
> every couple chapters or so, we'll be taking a trip back in time to see some snippets from the past. when this happens, i'll mark the chapter with "-Flashback-". so when you see a chapter with that as the title, you'll know it's a flash to the past!
> 
> this one is definitely small compared to what i have planned for the other ones, but they'll all most likely be shorter than the main chapters.
> 
> happy reading! <3


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